Personally, I would like to see more of this around the planet. Whether it would manage to wake the smart device / facebook / "reality" TV addicted masses, is another question.

Smith is correct. A global economy based on endless economic growth is not only damaging but ultimately impossible. But, until the capitalist dogma that underpins growth is rejected, that's what we've got.

Some reading that will immediately think I'm a communist. I'm not. I simply believe there are better alternatives to economic growth. Sadly most people think growth and capitalism are the only way to run the world. It's not.

Things will change and probably in the not so distant future. There are many pressures building that economic growth is contributing to but cannot cope with such as climate change, artificial intelligence, financial crashes, population growth, inequality, etc. Change will come either intentionally or through crisis. Le's hope it's the former.

To quote Sir David Attenborough, who I believe was himself quoting Kenneth Boulding (adviser to JFK'), "Anyone who believes in indefinite growth on a physically finite planet is either mad, or an economist."

Despite your hopes, alas I suspect crisis will prove to be the catalyst for change.

Sadly you may well be right, but we have to keep trying to change the way things are done.

If you've not seen this before, check out the Centre for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy: http://www.steadystate.org They promote an alternative economy that, for me, ticks many of the boxes that need ticking.

Sadly you may well be right, but we have to keep trying to change the way things are done.

If you've not seen this before, check out the Centre for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy: http://www.steadystate.org They promote an alternative economy that, for me, ticks many of the boxes that need ticking.

Thanks for that DM, at first glance it looks pretty thought provoking.

Agree with all the above, I heard a local news bulletin say growth in the area was "stagnant" which struck me as dramatally negative way of stating a fact that could be described as balanced. The media have a massive part to play in shaping the expectations and judgments of the masses.

We were designed to live in harmony with our environment and here we are ravaging the planet pushing magnificent creatures out of existence so we can have more stuff to look at and rot our brains.